


Introductions

by Yods



Series: Familiar [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Ableism, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, FoggyPOV, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-08-09 00:23:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7779493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yods/pseuds/Yods
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Foggy invited the devil of Hell’s Kitchen to join him and Karen at his little firm.  This may or may not have been a good idea.  In any case things are going well enough, if a little…  awkward… from time to time.  But they’ll get used to each other soon enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. French

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a follow-up of sorts for [Shark](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7257616). 
> 
> All you really need to know if you haven’t read it, is that the events of season 1 happened more-or-less like in canon, but that Matt and Foggy don’t know each other. Foggy gets to know the devil of Hell’s Kitchen during the events of the story, and at the end finds out he works at L&Z asks him to join him at the firm with Karen. He thinks the blind thing is an act, considering he has actually seen the devil in action.
> 
> Every chapter of this story is just going to be scenes of the Avocados getting to know each other. There is no plot.

It had taken a while to get used to having a third person in the office. At first it was uncomfortable – they were used to it just being the two of them, it constantly felt like Matt was in the way, like they had to _behave_ , not that Foggy really behaved, anyway. But Karen definitely did. She was always on good behaviour when Matt was around. Something in-between ‘ _watch out the boss is here_ ’ and ‘ _I’m not making a fool out of myself in front of the hot guy_ ’. Which was mildly annoying, but not Matt’s fault. But after a while Karen managed to relax around Matt, apart from the occasional hiccough. 

They were working on a new case – a custody battle. Matt was intently focussed on whatever he was reading, a head-tilt and faint frown of concentration and deft fingers over the page. Foggy had made a brief attempt at learning Braille but gave it up as a lost cause. He could recognise the alphabet by sight, but that was it.

There was some rummaging at Matt’s desk. Foggy was used enough to him being there that the sound didn’t distract him. That was a good deal better than the time when he worked late and thought he was alone only to have a heart-attack from a unexpected noise from Matt’s dark office. He totally did _not_ squeak in fright. Matt promised to remember to switch the lights on after that, looking very amused. Foggy felt like he’d been made a fool of, but he could hardly complain to Karen because _of course_ a blind man wouldn’t bother with the lights. Ugh.

Foggy finally _was_ distracted when Matt got up and leant against the door stile. “Karen?”

Karen visibly perked up at Matt’s voice and tucked her hair behind her ears. “Yes?”

“When you leave documents for me, could you always put them in the same place? Otherwise I have to pat down the whole desk to find them.”

The pleased pink on her cheeks spread to her ears, embarrassed. “I... Yes, sorry. Uhm.” She gave Foggy a horrified, wide-eyed look that clearly said: ‘Help’.

“We should maybe just get trays for documents. Looks more professional than random stacks. And always in the same place. So bonus.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll go get a couple on my lunch break. Which it almost is. So I’ll just go. Now.” Karen gathers her coat, clearly relieved to have something to do.

Matt looks fairly nonplussed at the fuss. “OK. Thank you.” He goes back to his desk and has his attention on the document in front of him before Karen is even out the door.

Foggy huffs and taps his foot in irritation. Asking for documents to be put in the same place was perfectly understandable. For a blind man. But now Karen was embarrassed at being insensitive to a _blind_ guy who could track criminals anywhere in the city. Finding a file couldn’t possibly be a problem. He reached for one of the plastic dinosaurs in his desk drawer and pelted it straight at Matt’s head. Who catches it out of the air without even looking up. It’s kind of freaky. He’s gotten so used to Matt being… Matt, that he’s forgotten the devil behind the smooth lawyer act.

Matt frowns and looks up at him. “Don’t do that.”

“Why? Because if Karen came in and saw you catching it you’d have some explaining to do?”

“If Karen came in I’d have to let it hit me in the face and _you’ll_ have some explaining to do.” He can’t tell with the glasses but he’s sure Matt rolled his eyes. “I meant, don’t do that because I’m not always paying attention and if it’s all the same I’d rather not be hit in the face with a flying… uhm” 

He frowned and twirled the toy between his fingers.

“It’s a plesiosaur.” Foggy said helpfully. “You not into dinosaurs?”

Matt shook his head, still turning the thing speculatively between his fingers.

“Of course not.” Foggy continued. “That would involve being _fun_.”

Matt huffed and closed his hand around the toy just as Karen came back in the door and smiled self-consciously. “Forgot my purse.” 

There was no time for Foggy to react. Just as Karen turned her back Matt pitched the damn toy back at him. 

“Ow!” Foggy clutched at his forehead with both hands. Plastic plesiosaurs were spiky. 

Karen turned in concern. “You OK?”

Foggy grimaced. “Yeah. Just a sudden splitting headache.” He managed to avoid glaring at Matt, who was giving him a look of innocent polite concern. Troll.

  


~

  
“You know, I don’t think Matt really likes us.” 

They were walking to Josie’s together after deciding to take off early for a change. Foggy trailed after Karen, trying to pop out the collar of his coat against the wind.

“Speak for yourself.” He looked up at Karen. She looks hurt. “Oh, wait. You’re serious. Why would you think that?”

“Well, he’s not very friendly. And he never comes out drinking with us.”

Telling her that he’s out punching people probably isn’t a good excuse. “Maybe drinking isn’t really his thing. Although I don’t think he’s very sociable in general.” That was true, at any rate. “Also, uhm…” He was going to get in trouble for this. Huge amounts of trouble. Lay waste to the world, salt the earth kind of trouble. “I may have told him off for flirting with you.” And what a uncomfortable conversation _that_ had been.

She stopped walking. “You did _what_.”

Oh, shit.

“Foggy!”

He kept on walking and said quickly. “What? It was unprofessional. And Marci says he’s a total man-whore. Do you think Child Services is still open? We need the file on Mr. Rafara’s kids.” 

Karen sped up to catch up to him. “Changing the subject is not going to save you, Nelson.” She sniffed in distaste. “And also, screw Marci.”

“I plan to.”

Karen rolled her eyes. “OK, so I totally walked into that. It doesn't mean you’re off the hook, though.”

They carried on walking companionably. “I’m stowing this subject for later arguments and revenge. _Do not_ thing I’m going to forget it. But in the meantime, Child Services?”

“Yeah. It would be good if we have the file for the meeting tomorrow.”

  


~

  
The office is pretty much what he’d expected. Cramped and dilapidated, every open space filled with stacks of dusty files. It also smell vaguely of cigarettes and stale coffee and mould, which he wasn’t expecting. He also wasn’t expecting the elderly lady in a faded flower dress behind the counter. 

Foggy handed over his card and put on his best charming-people-to-get-my-way smile.

“Hi, I’m Foggy Nelson. We’re representing Mr Rafara in a custody case and…”

“Why do you have Braille on your business card?” 

She was apparently completely unmoved by the smile. Matt was better at charming people anyway. Although it would seem that this women was immune to charm in any form.

Foggy blinked at her. “…so blind people can read it?”

She gave him a look of disgust that would put Marci to shame. “Nobody’s _that_ PC.”

Foggy can see Karen’s eyebrows raising from the corner of his eye. “Uhm. So. Mr Rafara…”

“Murdock. Is that Matthew Murdock?” She was still frowning at the card.

This conversation was getting away from him. “Yes. Do… do you know Matt?”

“I remember him from when he came through the system. Good to know the kid made something of himself.”

Foggy’s previous uncharitable thoughts about her evaporated. Clearly she cared underneath the gruff, slightly smelly, exterior. “I didn’t know Matt was in foster care as a kid.”

She was more talkative now, reminiscing. “He was sent to St. Agnes. I organised intake at the time. He must have been… ten years old, maybe? I told him nobody wants to adopt a broken kid.” She said this with some satisfaction. “That sitting around wishing things were different wasn’t going to do him any good. If he wanted anything from life he was just going rely on himself.” She nodded at the business card. “Looks like he listened.”

Foggy gaped at her. “Yes well… Uhm.” He swallowed. “The files for Rafara…”

“Come back tomorrow, I’m busy.” She turned her attention back to the ancient computer and ignored him. He fumed as Karen dragged him away.

They walked in silence for a while. 

“I think I might be a terrible person.”

Karen held on to his arm and leant slightly to him as they walked. “Oh yeah? Seems unlikely.”

He nodded. “I want to punch an old lady.”

She scowled at him, suddenly viciously. “You hold her down, I’ll punch her.” Her grip was uncomfortably tight on his arm. “ _No-one wants to adopt a broken kid._! Who says that?” She grumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like ‘witch’. “I hope St Agnes is nice, at least.”

“Orphanages aren’t _nice_ , as a rule. And I’m not going to say hell-hole, but St Agnes is certainly… severe.” 

Karen grimaced. “Great.”

They walk in silence some more. The streetlights flicker on. “So Josie’s?”

He sighed. “Yeah.”

  


~

  
The next day the was a slightly awkward cloud over the office. He knew better than to broach the subject with Matt – that was a conversation that could not possibly go well, he was bound to get defensive. Later in the morning Karen returned and triumphantly dropped the Rafara file in the new bright red tray on Matt’s desk. Foggy had gotten a blue one, as yet unused. 

Instead of heading to her desk she stayed and hovered in Matt’s office. Foggy had a bad feeling about this.

“So, Matt. The lady at Child Services remembered you. She said you were at St Agnes?” 

Matt pulled a face before coaching his expression into something more neutral. “Yes?”

Foggy cautiously watched this train-wreck unrolling. If he could get away with it he would signal Karen to let it go, but he couldn’t think of a way of doing it hat Matt wouldn’t notice as well.

“Well what was it like? The only reference I have for an orphanage is _Annie,_ and that probably isn’t accurate. Wait, have you seen _Annie_?” She flinched at the word ‘seen’.

Foggy face-palmed in his office. Karen pointedly ignored him. Matt was clearly working hard to keep from laughing. He cleared his throat. 

“As I recall the children in _Annie_ were used as free labour and went without food for punishment. So it wasn’t like that.” He looked seriously in Karen’s direction. “Also there was no bursting into song with spontaneous organised choreography.”

Foggy snorted. “Well that’s very disappointing. There is a serious lack of spontaneous choreography in our lives.” Matt laughed.

Karen rolled her eyes at the both of them. “Come on, seriously. What was it like?”

Matt’s expression dropped and he frowned. “It was fine.”

Karen huffed and started again but Foggy interrupted her. “I think in this case ‘fine’ means ‘let it go I don’t want to talk about it’.”

“Fine means fine.” Matt snapped. He took a breath and continued more calmly. “There was food to eat and beds to sleep in. The nuns weren’t unkind. It was fine.”

That was damning with faint praise if ever he heard it, but it probably wasn’t a good idea to get into that.

“OK.” Karen retreated to her desk, excitedly mouthing ‘nuns!’ at him. Foggy suppressed the inclination to sigh into his coffee.

  


~

  
They managed to work in relative peace until Mr Rafara showed up at his 15:00 meeting with his elderly mother in tow.  
“Good afternoon. My mother wanted to that you for helping me to get Aro and Tahiry back. She brought you some koba.” 

“Thank you.” Karen smiled at him, fluttering slightly. Mr Rafara was very tall and very imposing. His mother kept up a steady stream of nattering in French, some of it clearly aimed at Karen as she took the covered tray from her and carried it to the kitchenette. Matt frowned slightly, head tilted.

They convened in the conference room, where Matt had already set out the files. He was taking this case very seriously. Foggy wondered whether he ended up in St Agnes because he was orphaned or because his parents lost custody somehow. If that was why he was so invested in this case.  
Or he just wanted to help Mr Rafara because he was basically a good man. Not everything needs to be motivated by some personal trauma.

They explained to Mr Rafara what the status of the case was and told him that his chances of getting his children back were good. His smile kept on getting broader. Mrs Rafara asked him a question in French, clearly not following. Matt cut in before he could answer, which lead to a rapid discussion. Foggy and Karen looked at each other with polite incomprehension, and just managed to catch Mr Rafara’s bemused look. The conversation carried on until Mrs Rafara said something that made Matt start back in momentary surprise.

“ _Neny!_ ” Mr Rafara burst out. “I am sorry. My mother can be very rude.”

Matt recovered, managing to not look angry. “…We’ll just get back to the matter at hand, shall we?”

 

After they’d left, Mr Rafara beaming and thanking them profusely, the three of them settled back in the conference room to discuss what to do next. Foggy gathered up his files. “And now to important matters. You speak French?”

Matt looks amused for a moment. “There was this girl in college…”

Karen nods knowingly. “I think I know this story. It’s like when Foggy took Punjabi to snuggle up to this girl in class but…”

“But I’m pretty sure things I admitted to while drunk are not admissible in the office, _Karen_.”

Matt suppressed a laugh. “No, I took _Spanish_ to snuggle up to a girl in class…”

“Hah” said Foggy. Karen laughed.

“…I speak French because I had a French-speaking girlfriend.”

“Of course you did.” Foggy looks proud. “What did she say?”

“Who, the girlfriend? Quite a lot.”

“No, wise-ass. Mrs Rafara.”

Matt grimaced. “Ugh. Never mind what she said. We should get back to work.” He looked faintly embarrassed. Embarrassed Matt was a chance Foggy was never willing to pass up.

“That bad, huh?”

Matt mumbled a bit and then steeled himself. “She said it’s nice of the two of you to give a disabled person a job.”

There was a pause.

“Wow. I’m sorry I asked.”

Matt unclenched his jaw and fiddled with the documents in front of him. “Yeah. Can we get back to work?”

“Sure.” _Don’t ask. Don’t ask. Don’t make it worse._ “Does that kind of thing happen often?” _Damnit._

“More often than you’d think. And usually from people who seem to mean well.”

“Well-meaning condescension is the worst. I’m sorry people suck.”

Matt gives him a smile he actually seems to mean. “I’m pretty sure you’re not responsible for that.”

“You never know. I might be an all-powerful cosmic being capable of controlling human nature.”

Karen snorted at him. “In that case there would be a lot more spontaneous show-tunes, and soft ball would be the national sport.”

Matt continued seriously. “Alternatively, Foggy might be responsible for current levels of popularity of both soft ball and musical theatre, and without his interference they would both have mercifully disappeared from the planet by now.” Karen snickered.

“I am getting the distinct impression the two of you are making fun of me.”

Karen sat down on the edge of the conference table and coolly smoothed out her dress. “I wouldn’t dare. You might make us sing Gilbert and Sullivan.”

“Didn’t we have work to do?” Foggy huffed, pleased despite himself, as he retreated to his office. Karen and Matt grinned at each other behind his back.

  


  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Matt speaks French, right? I’m pretty sure in the scene where he and Electra arrive at Roscoe Sweeney’s they’re speaking French. You can just hear it for a moment after the music in the car cuts out. I haven’t heard anyone else mention it and I’m starting to think I may have imagined the whole thing.
> 
> Anyway, if I got it wrong, this is an AU and he totally speaks French here. Actually, I keep on thinking that the three of them are slightly OC, but that’s the whole point. They’re not supposed the be quite the same people.
> 
>  
> 
> The next chapter will feature: Christmas with the Nelsons! Foggy finding out Matt actually _is_ blind and has superpowers! Feelings talks! Father Lantom? Too many exclamation marks!!1!


	2. Christmas

They were sitting at the conference room table eating the falafels Foggy had ordered for lunch. Matt and Karen had both complained about the frequency of junk food and now he only got to choose once a week. At least, Matt had complained, and Karen had backed him up so quickly it was clear it was something she’d wanted to bring up earlier.

As punishment for the not very muted mutterings about how the smell of garlic was going to stay in the office for _days_ , Foggy had very pointedly _not_ told Matt that his tie was wrong-side-up. He must have been in a hurry that morning. Presumably Matt had noticed it by now, but he couldn’t fix it without prompting because _how would a blind man even know._ And Matt was definitely fussy enough that walking around like that all day had to bother him. This had turned into a subtle game of chicken. 

Karen crumpled some tinfoil and looked up. “Matt, your tie is the wrong way ‘round.”

He delicately cleaned his fingers on a napkin and ran them over his tie. “Mmm. Thank you.”

Foggy watched Matt redo the tie. Well, that game was over. “What are you guys doing for Christmas?”

Karen shrugged. “Don’t know.”

“You aren’t going home?”

“Ugh. No.” There was clearly something she didn’t want to talk about. Karen was always cagey when he brought up family.

“What about you, Matt?”

“I’m going to mass.”

“You’re Catholic?!”

“Yes. Is that such a surprise?”

“Yes. No. I guess you caught it from the nuns.”

Matt huffed, offended. Karen glared at him. There was something else to consider. Karen didn’t seem keen to see her family, and Matt didn’t have any, as far as he knew. So…

“Why don’t you both come with me? Have a Nelson family Christmas.”

Karen perked up. “Really? I’d love to.”

Foggy smiled back at her. This could be nice. “What about you, Matt?” 

He hummed and half-turned away. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

Foggy rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, you can be so prim sometimes.”

“Language.”

Foggy laughed at him. Matt looked uncomfortable. For some reason Foggy was distinctly reminded of the time in high school when he tried to go on a diet, and spent lunch break jealously eyeing his friends’ food, hungry but too proud to get a snack.

“I’ve changed my mind.” Matt and Karen both froze. “I’m telling my mom you’re _both_ coming for Christmas and if either of you don’t show up you’re going to have to explain yourself to her. End of discussion.”

Karen laughed and Matt turned red at the tips of his ears, trying not to look pleased.

  


~

  
Foggy was helping his father rearrange the furniture to make space for everyone when the doorbell rang. Karen had arrived an hour earlier and was now helping his mom, Candace and some far-off cousin in the kitchen.

When he opened the door Matt was standing there, looking nervous, cheeks pink with cold. He’d only ever seen him wearing a suit, and in body armour, before. Casual Matt was a bizarre unknown to him.

“Shit it’s cold. Come inside.” 

He helped Matt hang up his coat and scarf, and then hissed at him. “Just a warning. My dad has… issues around high-priced lawyers.” Foggy cleared his throat awkwardly. “Something to do with his ex-wife. Don’t take it personally if he takes a while to warm up to you.”

Matt gaped at him. “You’re telling me this _now_!”

“Yep,” Foggy said happily. “Is that wine? We won’t supposed to do gifts.”

“It’s not for you, it’s for your mother.”

“Well aren't you sweet.” Foggy mother practically elbowed him out of the way. She dusted her hands together, setting off a small cloud of flour, before gathering Matt in a bear-hug. Matt looked mildly panicked.

She let him go and patted his shoulder. “So nice to meet Foggy’s friends.”

Matt stammered for a moment. “Th… Thank you for inviting me into your home, Mrs Nelson.” He held the bottle of wine out in front of him, something between an offering and a shield.

She handed the wine off to Foggy and took Matt by the arm, “Don’t be silly dear, call me Anna. You’re welcome here.” and dragged him off with her. Foggy trailed after them.

“Hey, Matt!” Karen exclaimed happily. Everyone in the kitchen had gotten started on the eggnog and were already very merry.

“My sister, Candace, and cousin Katherine are also here.” Foggy said helpfully.

Matt smiled and greeted them, getting a chorus of ‘hey’ in return. Candace eyed him speculatively.

Anna returned from the living room and handed a bundle over to Matt.

He handled it carefully, clearly made suspicious by the amused looks. “Thank you. What’s this?”

Foggy snorted at him. “It’s a Nelson Christmas sweater. Don’t thank her. It’s a curse, not a gift.”

His mother huffed. “Rude. You won’t be getting any cake.” Foggy grinned at her fondly.

“I got one too.” Karen said, highly pleased. “It’s fluorescent green and has a reindeer’s ass on it. I’m wearing it right now.”

“Go on.” Foggy elbowed him lightly.

Matt pulled the sweater he was wearing over his head and handed it off the Foggy. It was dark brown and elegant and impossibly soft. Foggy didn’t miss how every women in the room did a minor head tilt as Matt’s shirt rode up when he took off his sweater. He gave his sister a severe look.  
Matt put on the Christmas sweater. Foggy grinned at him. “What do you think?”

“…It’s scratchy.”

“It’s also ugly and very tacky, in the grand tradition of Christmas sweaters everywhere.”

Karen giggled, delighted. “It’s fire-engine red with embroidered snowflakes on the elbows. And there are a pair of tree baubles on the front with ‘Balls’ written underneath.”

Matt, who had been fingering the design, supposedly to make out the pattern, quickly dropped his hand. He looked pleased. “Thank you?”

Anne beamed at him. “Come over here and help me chop the tomatoes.” She paused, suddenly awkward. “You can do that, right?”

Matt’s expression stiffened. “Yes.”

She ignored the sudden tension. “OK. The knife is to your left, bowl is to the right.”

As Foggy left to go help his dad in the living room, Matt leant his cane against the kitchen counter and got to work.

  


~

  
By the time dinner was ready quite a few more Nelson have shown up. Mercifully less than usual, though.

It was quiet at the table for the most part. Everyone was _very_ preoccupied with eating, and apart from an occasional comment on how good something was, or asking someone to pass the salt, no-one spoke. It wasn’t until after the meal was mostly done and everyone had started slowing down that there was real conversation.

His dad had been giving Matt searching looks during the whole meal. He had a bad feeling about this.

Edward Nelson scooted his chair back a bit and crumpled up his napkin.

“So… Matt. I hear you gave up a lot to go work with Foggy.” It would be helpful round about now if Matt actually _was_ blind so he couldn’t see the suspicious look he was getting.

As it was, Matt responded mildly. “I didn’t give up anything. I’ve never had it better.”

Karen patted Matt’s hand. “Oooh. That’s so sappy.”

Matt flushed faintly. Foggy kicked at Karen under the table.

Matt cleared his throat and continued. “I mean, I got into the law because I wanted to help people, not to defend corporations from those they hurt. And we get do that.” Matt tilted his head. “The company’s good too, though.” He added just a moment too late.

Foggy laughed. “Nice save, buddy.”

Edward seemed to grudgingly accept his answer. He frowned talking under his breath. “Murdock…” Then he suddenly perked up. “Are you related to Battlin’ Jack Murdock?”

Matt started slightly, but smiled. “My father.” He sounded proud. And Foggy had thought he couldn’t find the guy any more endearing.

“I lost money on his match with Creel...”

“Edward!” cut in Anna, with a note of warning.

“…Hell of a fighter. Whatever happened to him?”

The attention of the table switched back to Matt. He tapped his fingers on the table. “He got shot that night. You weren’t the only one counting on him losing.”

An uncomfortable silence settled. Edward didn’t seem to notice. “This was ages ago. You must have been a little kid at the time.”

“Yeah.”

Foggy cleared his throat but couldn’t think of anything to say.

Anna clapped her hands together, brightly. “So. Who wants cake? Edward, why don’t you come help me in the kitchen.”

Candace used to awkward pause to pour more eggnog for everyone. Foggy was strongly tempted to down his glass.

It took a while before normal conversation trickled back.

  


~

  
Foggy and his uncle Benny were sitting on the floor in the living room, leaning against the couch. The world spun a little less that way. He could hear bright laughter from the kitchen, where Matt and Karen were talking to his mother. Everyone else had already gone home or were asleep.  
Uncle Benny clapped him companionably on the knee. “I’m off to bed too.” and wandered off. There was another burst of laughter from the kitchen. Karen seemed to be having a giggling fit.

After a while Matt ambled into the living room, smiling and swaying slightly. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Foggy agreed peaceably.

Matt walked over to join him, tripping over a cushion laying behind the couch in the way. He managed to catch himself just in time and dropped down next to Foggy on the ground. “Ugh.”

Foggy yawned. “You’re taking the blind act pretty far. It’s just the two of us here.”

Matt stared at him. “What?”

“You know, pretending to be blind is a real dick-move.” He’d wanted to say this for a while. Hail to the power of alcohol.

He watched as Matt struggled to respond. “That’s… No… I’m not pretending.” He looked genuinely hurt. _Crap._ “And that’s offensive.” Matt started to get up.

“But, but how?”

“Now you ask me?!” Great, he was pissed. At least Angry Matt was preferable to Hurt Matt. “I expected you to be all over me with questions ages ago.”

This wasn’t going well. Now _he_ had to explain himself. “You took a hell of a risk trusting me with your identity. I didn’t want to push.” Matt huffed at him and raised his eyebrows. Foggy gave him a considering look. “Although, come to think of it, it probably didn’t take all that much trust on your part considering if I tried to turn you in I’d probably end up a damp smear on the floor.”

Matt inhaled sharply. “I wouldn’t…” he swallowed. “If that’s what you think of me, if you think I’m that much of a threat, why would you introduce me to your family?!” Matt got up and started away, stumbling again over the same damn cushion. He almost collided with Karen as he left the room.

She settles across from him on the floor. “OK, what just happened?”

Foggy sighed and dropped his head back. “I think I may have hurt his feelings.”

“So go fix it.” He may not be looking at her but he could hear the judgement in her voice.

He turned back and gave her a withering look. “I think the point of him storming off is that he doesn’t want to talk to me.”

“So you’re just going to let this fester for a bit first and then try to fix it?” Karen glared at him.

Foggy sighed heavily and hauled himself to his feet. He found Matt at the front door, apparently trying to find his jacket in the pile. Very clearly doing it by touch. Why are you only noticing that kind of thing _now_ , Nelson?

“Matt?”

Matt frowned, not lifting his head from his search. “It’s fine. I’m just going to go home.” His breathing was too fast.

“Matt…” he still didn’t look up. “Look. I invited you into the firm. I invited you _here_. Clearly I don't actually think you’re a threat.” Matt stopped scrabbling in the pile of jackets. “I have a big mouth. I was talking out of my ass and I put a foot in it.”

Matt tipped his head up at him, uncertain if he should laugh of not.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t leave.”

Matt straightened out and the two of them considered each other for a moment.

When it no longer looked as though Matt was going to snap at him, Foggy tried again. “So how do you…” he waved his hand vaguely at him “… you know.”

Matt worried at his bottom lip with his teeth. “There was an accident, a chemical spill, when I was a kid. It’s when I was blinded.” He paused, apparently uncertain how to proceed.

Foggy blinked at him. “If you tell me a chemical spill gave you superpowers I am going to have an aneurism.”

For a moment it looked as though Matt was going to say something, but he closed his mouth again firmly. There was a moment of hysterical silence and then Foggy started laughing.

Matt shushed him. “You’re going to wake everyone up.”

Karen appeared at the doorway, apparently attracted by the laughter. “What are you two talking about?”

“Foggy was just telling me what an ass he was.” Matt smiled uncertainly.

“Well don’t let me interrupt.”

  


~

  
The ended up settling back on the living room floor. There were just a couple more glasses of eggnog left – after that it would have to be Foggy’s grandad’s fine brandy. Something that had been buzzing in the back of Foggy’s mind was eased loose by the haze of drunkenness. He sat up suddenly. “Wait! You said were blinded in an accident as a child?” Matt and Karen both frowned at his sudden excitement. “That’s great!” Karen gave him a spectacularly dangerous look. Matt raised his eyebrows in bewilderment.

Foggy gesticulated wildly. “You’re Matt Murdock!”

“… I’m aware.” Matt answered very cautiously. 

He rolled his eyes. “No, I mean I remember you. I knew the name twigged something. You were in the papers when we were kids! Got your eyes knocked out saving an old man from being hit by a truck.”

Karen stared at Matt. He looked amused. “They weren’t knocked out.”

Foggy snorted. “Semantics. Seriously, that was really impressive.”

Matt seemed uncomfortable with the sudden attention. “I… I just did what anyone would have.”

“Bullshit. Not every ten-year-old…” 

“Nine,” Matt corrected. 

“… nine-year-old will risk his life to save a stranger. You’re an actual hero.” Matt gave a strained smile. “… and it occurs to me that this probably isn’t a good memory for you. Sorry, I’ll shut up.”

They sat in silence for a while. Karen seemed to want to say something. 

Matt gave her a questioning look. 

She shook her head. “Never mind.” He nudged at her knee. “Was your dad still around when… when you lost your sight?” She looks apologetic at the question.

Matt took a deep breath and gave her a wry smile. “Yeah. He was really good with helping me adapt. Always believed that I could make it.” He licked his lips. “He died a two years later.”

“And then you went to St Agnes.”

Matt nodded. Karen laid her head on his shoulder.

Foggy desperately wanted to ask Matt more, but he figured they’d done enough poking at his childhood trauma for one day. “What were you talking to my mother about before?”

Karen perked up at the new topic. “She showed me some baby pictures of you.”

Foggy groaned. His mother was really getting back at him for the wisecrack about her Christmas sweaters. 

“The ‘rubber ducky’ picture in the bath was really cute.” 

“She did finger quotes,” he told Matt, drily.

Matt nodded sagely. “I could tell.”

“And I can’t really threaten to show you baby pictures of Karen in retaliation.”

“Well you could, but it wouldn’t do you any good.” Matt was clearly enjoying this. 

Foggy rolled his eyes. Matt seemed to elicit that response a lot. “Although… I theoretically could show her pictures of you.”

“What did _I_ do?” Matt protested. “Besides, there’s no way you’re getting your hands on a picture of me.”

“Hah. I’m pretty sure I already have one.” 

“What?!”

Foggy jumped up and hurriedly left the room, coming back with a dusty shoebox. “My mom never throws any of my stuff away.” He rootled in the box and after a while handed Karen a newspaper cut-out. “Don’t read the article. It’s depressing.”

Karen took the page and squealed in delight. She hugged Matt’s arm. “You were so cute as a little kid!” 

Matt sighed heavily. “Is it that article?”

Karen nodded, and then winced immediately. “Yes.”

Matt held out his hand and she handed the sheet over. For a moment Foggy thought he was going to tear it in a fit of temper, but he gently ran his fingers over the page and handed it back. He looked faintly melancholy. Foggy didn’t say anything. If he shut up for long enough Matt might actually volunteer something.

“I don’t actually know what I look like.”

Karen made a confused sound.

Matt shrugged. “Last time I looked in a mirror I was nine years old. I’m assuming I don’t quite look the same anymore.”

“Hate to break it to you buddy, but you’re kinda unfortunate looking.”

Matt grinned at him.

“I’m sure you’ve had people tell you otherwise at some point, but they probably just felt sorry for you.” Matt’s expression twitched. He’d probably gone too far. “Come to think of it. You don’t know what we look like either.”

Matt tilted his head at him. “I’ve got some idea. I know you’re about as tall as I am. Maybe slightly heavier.“ He said this blankly, without judgement. Foggy felt himself colour a bit all the same. “… I can tell your hair comes down to your collar – I can hear it brush against it when you talk.” Matt nudges against Karen’s arm. “I know _you’ve_ got long hair. It brushes over your back. Sounds soft.”

Karen took a strand of hair between her fingers and twisted it, thoughtfully. Then she dipped to sit a bit lower and tapped against the back of Matt’s hand. He turned it and she pressed the curl into his palm. Foggy watched as his smile went soft. Karen flushed slightly. 

“Cut that out, you two.”

Matt grinned at him, looking faintly smug. The strand of hair unwound from his fingertips.

Foggy rolled his eyes. Again. “What about the face-touching thing? Couldn’t you just touch yourself?” Matt’s eyebrows raised. Foggy could feel a wisecrack coming on. “… to know what you look like. I mean.” 

Matt shrugged. “That’s not… I mean, touching someone’s face gives _some_ indication. Obviously. Features, skin texture… that kind of thing. And I can kind of put it together. But it’s still not the same as knowing what someone looks like.” 

It’s quiet for a moment. Matt licked his lips, steeling himself. He took off his glasses. His eyes are a soft brown. Dark and unfocussed. Matt sat up on his knees and scooted over to him, holding both hands out in front of him. “Is it OK if I…?”

Right. The face-touching thing. “Uhm. OK.” His voice cracked. “Sure.”

Matt reached his hands out cautiously to his face, his fingertips brushing against his cheeks. They were sitting very close to each other. Foggy found himself staring at Matt. He had lovely eyes. Without his glasses his whole face seemed softer. 

Matt’s fingertips skirted his cheekbones and up the bridge of his nose, pausing on his eyebrows. He tilted his head. This was becoming uncomfortably intimate. Matt could probably feel his breath on his palms. Foggy kept still but looked past Matt to Karen, who was watching in clear amusement. At least Matt couldn’t see that he was blushing. Matt’s hands slid down the sides of his face to his chin. When his thumb touched his bottom lip Foggy twitched, startled, and Matt dropped his hands. 

“Right,” Foggy’s voice was a couple of octaves too high. “Karen, your turn.”

Matt tilted his head at Karen. 

She held up both hands in front of her. “I’d rather not if you don’t mind. I don’t think I can take that level of scrutiny at the moment.”

Matt sat back, smiling fuzzily to himself.

Foggy considered the two of them Relaxed and happy Matt and Karen. His work was done for the day. “Fine, you two can get to touching each other some other time.” At least now he wasn’t the only one blushing.

  


~

  
The next morning Foggy woke up with a pounding headache. His ass was numb from sitting on the ground and his neck ached. Karen slumped against his shoulder, snoring faintly. There was a strand of hair stuck to her nose.

Soft voices echoed way too loudly from the next room. Foggy groaned and dragged himself to his feet. Matt was in the kitchen with his parents, having breakfast. Foggy dropped himself into a chair, feeling bedraggled next to Matt who was somehow wearing a crisp suit, his hair neatly done. He was wearing his glasses again. Back to being distant and polite.

His dad wordlessly poured him a cup of coffee. Foggy grunted as a response. “Thanks. Morning.”

Foggy watched Matt. He’s paler than usual, and he flinched at the sound of a car door slamming outside. “Why are you all dressed up?”

“I’m going to mass, remember?”

Foggy nodded to himself. “When are you leaving?”

Matt felt for his watch. “Twenty minutes or so.”

“Do you mind if I join you?” He ignored his parents joint looks of surprise.

“Sure.”

Foggy downed the rest of his coffee, wincing, and got up. “Karen! Wake up! We’re going to church.”

  


~

  
Foggy and Matt braved the frozen sidewalk, Karen trailing grumbling behind them. Foggy had a brief vision of a couple dragging a truculent child to church. He scoffed at his own nonsense.

It was cool inside the church. Faint smell of incense and too many people crammed together. Foggy figured this last was because it was Christmas. It probably usually wasn’t this full. He nudged Matt and whispered to him. “There always this many people at mass? Or do you also just come for Christmas and Easter?”

Matt looked somewhat irritated, but stopped short of shushing him. “I’m here quite often. It isn’t usually this full.”

There was some standing and sitting and singing. Foggy wasn’t really paying attention. Karen had borrowed some church-appropriate clothing from some-or-the-other Nelson, but it apparently wasn’t warm enough. She sat tight against him, shivering slightly. The next time they stood up he poked at her to get her to change places with him. She did, puzzled, snuggling up against him when they sat back down. Foggy hissed at Matt, who was surprisingly not annoyed by this interruption. He tilted his head as if considering them for a while, and then shifted closer up to Karen and took her hand between both of his, turning his attention back to the sermon. By the end of the service the three of them were sitting snugly against each other.

They waited for the crowd to dissipate after the service. It was too busy for Matt to use his cane, and not enough space for someone to walk next to him to lead him. By the time they made their way out the priest was making conversation with stragglers. He came over to them.

“Merry Christmas.”

Karen was unfailingly polite. “Merry Christmas, father.”

“Are you hung-over, Matthew? I’m shocked that you have vices.” There was just enough fond teasing in his voice that Foggy wondered whether the priest knew what Matt got up to. 

“In his defence my mom makes a mean eggnog.” 

The priest nodded seriously, laughter in his eyes. 

Matt turned to Foggy. “I’d like to talk to Father Lantom for a moment. I’ll catch up with you outside.”

Foggy and Karen wandered to the door, not quite willing to go out into the cold just yet. “What do you think they’re talking about?”

“Us, apparently.”

Foggy looked back. They were deep in conversation, the priest glancing over at them occasionally. “Maybe he’s warning Matt off making friends with infidels.” 

“I think that’s the wrong religion.”

Matt walked back over to them, his cane tapping against the sides of the pews. He looked happy.

“What were you two talking about?”

Matt shrugged. “We were just talking.”

“You ‘just talk’ to your priest often?”

“Yes. He makes really good espresso.” Foggy got the impression that was some inside-joke he wasn’t getting. Al the same, it was good that Matt was talking to someone.

Karen apparently thought the same thing. “That’s nice.” She really seemed to mean it. “Let’s get back, shall we?”

Matt took Foggy by the arm and the three of them walked back into the cold.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up not making this too angsty. I have enough of that to deal with in other fics.


End file.
